Improvement in harvesting-machines



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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. WILSON, OF DENTON, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTiNG-MAC'HINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 23,972, dated May l0, 1859.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, WM. H.WILsoN, of Denton, county of Caroline, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harvesters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact descrip.

`my improved raking attachment. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section through the center of rake and driving apparatus. Fig. 3 represents an end elevation. Fig. 4 represents a detail top view of rake-head and swiveling mechanism. Fig. 5 represents a detail perspective view ot' retention-wire. Fig. 6 represents a top view. Fig. 7 represents a vertical cross-section at the line a: x, Fig. 6; and Fig.

8 represents a cross-section at yy, Fig. 2, similar letters denoting the same parts in the different views.

J represents the grain-platform of a harvesting-machine, from which it is proposed to remove the grain automatically by my improvement. Along the rear side of, and some distance above, said platform is arranged a beam or bar, B, supported at one end by a post, g, and at the other by a standard, H, and immediately over this beam or bar is arranged a driving lattice-frame, C. rlhis frame consists of a series of bars, G, (see Figs. 1,2, and 6,)

pivoted to each other near their centers and ends at a', and at one extremity of the frame, at m2, to the stand x, and at the other extremity, at w3, to the carriage j. To the lower side of this carriage j is hung by a stud, o', the rakehead D, and fast onto said stud o', between the top of rake-head and bottom of beam B, is arranged a ratchet-wheel, r', and a swiveling plate, f.

c is the swivelin g rod, which is retained in a stand, d', (in which it is adjustable,) and is furnished at its actuating end with a frictionroll, c3, against which' the swiveling plate strikes. 4

To the lower extremity of the pivot a2 of the lattice-frame is secured one end of the rack p, which slides in the upper surface of the beam B, and is driven by a sector, A, secured at its center to a vertical post or rock-shaft, a, which is rocked in its bearings yby an arm, 1^, coupled to one end of the pitman c. The other end of said pitman is connected to the crankpin s3 in the face of the driving-gear E. Said driving-gear is hung upon a horizontal shaft, t, and receives its rotary mot-ion from the driving-pinion q, which is hung on a shaft, o, in a stand, u, and driven by the main motor.

On the shaft t of the gear E is secured a cam, y, (see Fig. 7,) which, rotating with'said shaft, at certain times strikes against the lower side of the lip l, projecting from lever 1', and lifts one end of said lever, (the other end being pivoted to a fixed fulcrum in the post L,) to which end is coupled one end of a wire or bent rod, s. The-lower end of this rod sis coupled to the crank end of a rod, M, (see Figs. 3, 5, 7,) which, by thelifting of said levcrr, is caused to oscillate in a given direction, and is returned to its normal position by a spring, N. The object of the motions just described in the bar M is to cause its bent end to ily up at certain times into the position seen at Fig. 1, to keep the rake from rebounding backward and getting out of control of its guides. At each end of the rake, on the last tooth, f, is arranged a friction-pulley which strikes against the guide-plateau, which projects upward from the platform, and which causes the rake to turn on'its center while the carriage j is being forced forward by the lattice-frame C.

ois a stop-wire, against which the'ends of the teeth of rake strike, and by which the rake is prevented from being thrown round too quick on its center, and 7c is another guide-plate, which is intended to govern the direction of the grain while being removed.

n is the divider, and m the finger of the cutting apparatus, which, forming no part of my present invention, need not be here described.

O n the under side of the carriage j is pivoted a catch-pawl, n', which bites into the ratchetwheelr, and which is keptin clutch by asprin g, in. (See Figs. 2 and 4.)

h is a stop which projects from the post g, and is intended to prevent the rake from being thrown out of position.

The operation of my improved raking attachment will be readily understood from the following explanation, viz: As the gear E is rotated, with its shaft t, the shaft a (through the medium of the pitman c) is caused to rock in its bearings, giving to the sector-plate A a vibrating motion; which imparts a. reciprocating motion to the rack p, one extremity of the lattice-frame 'being secured to a fixed point at wz, and 011e end of the rack p being pivoted at the joint a2 of said lattice-frame. The said lattice-frame is caused by the reciprocation of said rack to alternately close up and open out, whereby the carriagej is caused to move along firstin one direction and thenin the other upon the beam B. As the rake D moves along (by the extension of the frame C) the friction-roll p comes against the inner side of the guidev plate w, whereby said rake is caused to turn on its center and change its position from that illustrated in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 6. The rake is prevented from turning around too quickly by the stop-wire 0, and is prevented from rebounding backward by the stop bent rod M, which comes up behind it at the proper time. The lattice-frame then begins to close up, whereby the rake is drawn straight along over the platform J until one of the hooks,f, (see Fig. 6,) of the swivel-platcf comes against the friction-roll g4, whereby the rake is caused to turn around on its center, (its end passing around just within the plate 16,) and the grain raked oif the platform as the rake turns, carrying with it its ratchet-wheel r. The pawl m drops into the next notch, as seen at Fig. 4, preventing said rake from turning back, and the motions justdescribed are repeated by the rake.

'ihe stop h prevents the rake from being thrown too far back or catching in the back of the guide-plate, so that no matter in what position the rake may be inadvertently left on starting up it will either go forward or back out and then start ahead without any danger of injury to the mechanism.

lt will be seen that the rake, in performing its operation, passes directly along over the platform the entire extent of the cutting apparatus, in a line of motion at right angles to the length of the stalks, and then turns the grain gradually around (after gathering it together) and discharges it, with its stalks at right angles to the position in which they lic upon the platform.

Having described the construction and operation cf my improved raking attachment, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by ,Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the vibrating sector A, rack p, lattice-frame C, and carriage j, With the beam B, or its equivalent, and the rake D, the several parts being arranged substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.-

2. In combination with the rake D, having its center driven backward and forward over the platform, the swiveling plate f, ratchet r, and pawl n', and adjustable shifting-stop g4, or its equivalent, wlierebythe rake is turned upon its center and caused to sweep the grain off, as hereinbefore specified.

3. In combination with a rake, D, having center driven back and forth over the platform, as specified, the guiding-plate w and rolls pp, or their equivalents, whereby the rake is thrown back into the proper position to sweep across the platform after having discharged a sheaf, as hereinbefore described.

4. rEhe combination of the rod M with the rod s, arm r, cam y, and spring N, the whole arranged and operating as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The stop h, arranged as described, for the purpose set forth.

in testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand and seal.

WM. H. WILSON. '[L. 5.]

Wfitnesses:

J .N. MCINTIRF., HENRY XV. TURPIN. 

